Jon Cornish made zero effort during training camp to conceal his goals for the 2013 Canadian Football League season.

Perhaps the Calgary Stampeders tailback is a proponent of the theory that sharing objectives increases the probability of actually achieving them.

To recap, Cornish stated that he wanted to:

— Win the Grey Cup (his top priority, without question.)

- Collect his second consecutive Canadian Football League rushing title.

— Grace the stage at Regina’s Conexus Arts Centre in November to accept the award given to the CFL’s most outstanding player

With the leaves turning crimson and gold, Cornish reports zero change in his stated objectives.

And never was there a moment when he felt like conceding the rushing title to Kory Sheets — in spite reading countless news stories anointing the Saskatchewan tailback as the champ.

“There was a big hoopla over Kory Sheets at the start of the season,” Cornish said. “But I learned last year, and I’ve been in this league for a long time. I learned from Joffrey Reynolds.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

A photo finish looks likely between Sheets and Cornish, with the winner likely going on to capture the hardware for most outstanding player.

With five games left on the docket, Cornish has carried the ball 183 times for 1,207 rushing yards and an average of 6.6 yards. Sheets has rumbled 213 times for 1,222 yards and an average of 5.7 yards. Both players have eight rushing touchdowns.

Cornish missed one game with a leg injury. Sheets has sat out twice due to his knee.

“I keep track of where I’m at and relative to other people,” acknowledged Cornish. “But one of the things I’m a little bit sad about is that it really is just Kory Sheets and I on top. So the competition between one and two.

“That’s cool, but I want to see more running backs stay healthy through the whole season.”

Cornish expects a much closer race in the not-so-distant future.

“I was really looking forward to seeing Chad Simpson stay healthy and doing stuff. We’ve got C.J. Gable who is looking like a wonderful running back, so I’m looking forward to see how that develops.”

Realistically, no one else has a chance this season at catching Cornish or Sheets. And if Cornish can edge out the poster child of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, he might as well make room for two more trophies in his vast collection.

Most outstanding Canadian for 2013. Most outstanding player for 2013.

“Last year after being the runner up, I sort of decided that’s what I was going to focus on,” said Cornish, who finished second last year to Chad Owens for the outstanding player award. “Like I stated at the beginning of the season, any time you come in second you always try and hit the victory.

“And I think as long as we keep winning, it will happen . . . but that’s not the first thing on my mind.”

The first thing on his mind is same as it was on the first day of training camp — to help the Stampeders make the jump from Grey Cup runners-up to Grey Cup champions.

Stay tuned.

EXTRA POINTS . . . So the worst has happened in Edmonton with Mike Reilly suffering a concussion in Saturday’s 34-22 loss to the Toronto Argonauts. The Eskimos can only light a candle and pray for a speedy recovery for their franchise quarterback. With Reilly in the mix, long-suffering Eskimo fans have reason to believe in a brighter future. They’re living on hope right now in the City of Champions . . . Got to figure the Argonauts, at this moment, are favourites to win the Grey Cup come November in Regina. Four straight road games, four straight wins including victories over Saskatchewan and Calgary in hostile territory? Pretty convincing . . . One question, though: is it an automatic that Ricky Ray starts when he’s healthy? Collaros is on such a roll, his move back to the bench is hardly an automatic . . . Wonder how many politically correct ways the Stampeders will find this week to say they respect their next opponent and won’t take the lowly Blue Bombers lightly Saturday at McMahon Stadium? . . . Add Thomas DeMarco, of the B.C. Lions, to the list of young quarterbacks making a name for themselves this season. Does this mean we can finally cease with the hand-wringing and fearmongering over the lack of worthy quarterbacks north of the 49th parallel?

THEY SAID IT

Quotes and tweets from around the CFL

“We need to use it as a positive. People are going to say we suck and did suck (on Saturday), but this does not define our season. We can define our season over the next games starting with Toronto.”

— Hamilton quarterback Henry Burris on a 35-11 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in which he threw three picks

“These types of nights suck, trust me, big time. This is definitely not what we prepared for or expected to go out and deliver tonight. Yeah, we played like crap.”

— more Burris

“The leaders have to lead and the Alpha dogs have to be Alpha dogs We have to be in front, leading the charge, and we have to figure it out.”

— Saskatchewan SB Geroy Simon on the finding a way to snap a four-game losing streak for the Roughriders

“I’m going to put this one on me.”

— Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Kerry Joseph on allowing the Toronto Argonauts to storm back from a 21-point deficit to win 34-22 at Commonwealth Stadium

“It’s tough, you almost get a sense that he’s invincible.”

— Edmonton linebacker J.C. Sherritt on watching Mike Reilly leave the game with a suspected concussion after taking more hits than anyone can count all season long

“That’s something new to me when your own fans are cheering for the other team. And that to me was more disappointing than the loss because our crowd has fuelled us for a lot of games. But do I blame the fans? No, I don’t blame them. How could I?”

“It was amazing to come back here and get treated like that by these fans. That’s something I will take away forever.”

— Pierce on the reaction of the Winnipeg faithful to his return

“Does the scoreboard in Calgary go up to three digits?”

— Winnipeg Free Press football writer Paul Wiecek on this Saturday’s game between the Stampeders and Blue Bombers

GAME BALLS

Offence

Toronto RB Chad Kackert

Welcome back! After playing spectator for most of the season, Kackert ripped off 13 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-22 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos. Makes the Argos much more difficult to defend.

Defence

B.C. Lions LB Adam Bighill

Making his case for defensive player of the year honours in the CFL. An incredible 10 defensive tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles in a 53-17 stomping of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Combines ferocity and speed.

Special teams

B.C. Lions FB Tim Cronk

An unsung, blue-collar type, Cronk checked in four special-teams tackles in the victory over Winnipeg. One of those players who rarely, if ever, sees his name in headlines but contributes all the same to the success of his team.

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